Just returned from holiday to find my copy of game with manual received intact (as all my other Matrix games). Well done and thanks Matrix.

Having just begun to read manual and not having played the board game, I am at a loss as to why the computer does not allow a simultaneous set up. I understand that a face to face board game with simul. set up is not feasible.

Surely a simul. one would be more exciting. I well remember AH's FE I played by post many years ago.

The boardgame did have order of setup just like this pc-game, so its preset who has advantage about knowing other nations setup. Using AI doesnt change the order, though to my knowledge it doesnt take into account other nations previous setup.

AI presently always uses the default setup, rather than reacting to your own. Creating good logic for a properly reactive setup would be tricky, but having randomized selection of a greater variety of setups might be good, and some of the existing ones could be tweaked a bit.

Doesn't the French fleet default to being in a single port, for instance? Makes it simple for Britain to blockade them, and raises the stakes if Britain should chance an attack on the port's garrison.

AI presently always uses the default setup, rather than reacting to your own. Creating good logic for a properly reactive setup would be tricky, but having randomized selection of a greater variety of setups might be good, and some of the existing ones could be tweaked a bit.

Doesn't the French fleet default to being in a single port, for instance? Makes it simple for Britain to blockade them, and raises the stakes if Britain should chance an attack on the port's garrison.

Ehm, it doesnt really use the default setups. Just try compare default setup for Britain to the AI's. Im guessing the AI has its own default setup though.

Well, I just got the game. I am a long time EIA'er and have been impressed so far. Some of the controls seem to be counter-intuitave (such as setting up defaults for diplomacy and such), but that's ok. Good job guys. On the issue of setups:

I'd like to see more "default setups" rather than just one. (I'm assuming that there is just one. That's what it looked like when I saved mine.) Maybe have three or more for each country. I could see three or four for Turkey. Basically four "zones" - -Levant -NE (against minors there and/or Russia) -NW (against Austria or Russia) -- none, alot or just to defend -N Africa

Additionally, does one place a garrison of one in: -only national capital -every provincial capital -some provincial capitals

Finally, there should be things like: -If you have a ship in a port you ALWAYS have a guy/garrison/corps...SOMETHING. -If you are a weaker and targeted naval power (ie. Spain, France, Turkey, maybe Russia) always attempt to have a fully garrisoned city to retreat your fleets to or base them in. Stuff like that.

Well, that's all I've got. I'm not a computer or code guy, but there should be some variation in each setup. Lots of Russians on border, should bring more setup of Turks to stop this.

If this is two hard to code, then there should be four or so setups and randomly pick one so that it's not the same.

Thanks, Jason

quote:

ORIGINAL: Grognot

AI presently always uses the default setup, rather than reacting to your own. Creating good logic for a properly reactive setup would be tricky, but having randomized selection of a greater variety of setups might be good, and some of the existing ones could be tweaked a bit.

Doesn't the French fleet default to being in a single port, for instance? Makes it simple for Britain to blockade them, and raises the stakes if Britain should chance an attack on the port's garrison.

Agreed that this option is not in keeping with those who played the boardgame but, for those of us poor mortals that never experienced that delight, surely an opton will not impinge upon your sensibilities?

Agreed that this option is not in keeping with those who played the boardgame but, for those of us poor mortals that never experienced that delight, surely an opton will not impinge upon your sensibilities?

Actually no, the board game is quite balanced including how the setup order is arranged. If you start changing setup order, you push to that balance.

Thank you Bresh. I bow to those boardgamers who know more than I. I can't even get my poor old head around the interface and boardgame manual included with PC game. Tutorial, tutorial, wherefore art thou